Latest news with #PocketBullies
The Irish Sun
3 days ago
- The Irish Sun
Brazen owner of Bully which mauled boy, 5, blames child and insists ‘he's harmless…I still let him play with my toddler'
A DAD whose dog 'savaged' a five-year-old boy says it was a "genuine mistake" and claims the child was actually in the wrong - sparking a furious response from his mum. Aaron Eccles' Pocket Bully 11 Aaron Eccles with his pet Pocket Bully called Harry Credit: Aaron Eccles 11 Antonio Quinn in an ambulance after the dog attack Credit: SWNS 11 Antonio had to have a three-hour operation to apply stitches to his face Credit: SWNS The little boy subsequently needed a three-hour operation to stitch his wounds - while police seized the Bully, as well as a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, owned by Aaron's partner, at the scene. Aaron told The Sun: 'It's a genuine mistake and the parents aren't accepting the fact that their child's in the wrong for coming into the house." And says he'd still be happy for the dog to play with his own six-month-old baby son. However, Antonio's flabbergasted mum Amanda Holmes has hit back at the owner's claims, saying her son is "very lucky to be alive" and was certainly not to blame. READ MORE NEWS She said " trying to justify" the dog's behaviour is "sickening". Aaron, who described arriving home on May 26 to see '20 armed officers' outside, believes the incident does not necessarily make his pet Harry - initially reported to be an XL Bully - 'dangerous'. Antonio had followed Aaron's six-year-old stepson into the house in Oswaldtwistle, Lancashire, after they'd been playing outside - with only his older sister, age 12, upstairs. Staffy Bella, who was in season, was in a cage to keep her separate from Harry. Most read in The Sun Aaron, 34, told The Sun: 'I came back and there's 20 armed police terrorising my dogs, pepper spraying them and winding them up. 'They told me my dog's savaged somebody, a four year old boy.' Mum screamed 'my baby's dead' as girl, 10, killed by XL Bully weeks after excitedly telling friends about her 'new pet' He added: 'He got reported as an XL Bully but it wasn't. He's a Pocket Bully.' Pocket Bully dogs are not part of the XL Bully ban. It's a criminal offence to own or possess an XL Bully dog in Pocket Bullies are a much smaller, though similar breed. Aaron does not believe there would have been the same police response if they'd known initially Harry was a much smaller dog. And argues, due to most dogs' sense of territory and reaction to an 'intruder', any breed could have reacted in a similar manner. 'The dog's never met the little boy before so he's thought he's an intruder and he's nipped him to warn him to get out,' he said. 'He's not ragged him or savaged him or anything. He has bitten him but it's a warning bite. 'He hasn't grabbed hold of him and shook him about - nothing like how it's been portrayed.' 11 Antonio suffered injuries to his face, arms and legs Credit: SWNS 11 Antonio was bitten by the dog after entering his neighbour's home Credit: SWNS 11 His injuries also include scratches Credit: SWNS Describing Antonio's injuries, Aaron said: 'The marks on his legs are from his (the dog's) paws when he jumped up at him and also where he's caught his neck.' The dad explained that his partner Nikki Morris, 35, had told her son not to go into the house while she went to collect Aaron from the gym, but in the space of 10 minutes from her leaving the incident happened. He said: 'It's a genuine mistake and the parents aren't accepting the fact that their child's in the wrong for coming into the house. 'The worst has happened and now it's my family and dogs that are suffering.' Aaron previously spent time homeless, with two-year-old Harry as his only companion, and said he's extremely loyal to him, but 'like a teddy bear' usually. 'He's never lashed out before,' he explained. 'He was just protecting his home - what he's loyal to. They don't differentiate between an adult and a child when they think it's a burglar. But he certainly hasn't mauled him.' He continued: 'I've got an almost six month old baby, the Pocket Bully lies and sleeps next to him. 'I've got videos and pictures of him lying next to him licking him to death. 'I wouldn't have an aggressive dog next to my baby or my stepson.' 11 Aaron with dog Harry and his six-month-old son Credit: Aaron Eccles 11 The dad says he would still be happy for the dog to be around his children if he gets him back Credit: Aaron Eccles 11 Aaron said Harry was simply defending his home Credit: Aaron Eccles 11 He said he has since had a call from a police officer asking if he would like both dogs euthanised, but told them no. Aaron understands there will now be an assessment process to understand if the dogs are too dangerous to be allowed home, and he could face charges - but hasn't yet been arrested. 'The police aren't responding to me, it's like they don't care,' Aaron continued. 'I'm not 100 percent what's going to happen with the dogs.' He said Staffy Bella had only escaped her cage when police arrived and antagonised Harry. Describing the scene when he arrived home, he said: 'All armed police…they were just pepper spraying them through the door, through the back door and banging on the windows, getting them all aggressive while the other armed response officers were coming through the front door, spraying loads of pepper spray on them. 'It was sickening to watch. You don't do that to someone's pet. They're telling me they're aggressive, and I'm saying if you spray me with pepper spray and wind me up I'll be aggressive as well.' Aaron and Nikki have bought Antonio a present but said they are letting the dust settle a little more before they try to speak to his family. 'We felt bad, but the fact of the matter is they need to accept their little boy was in the wrong, entering the house and they just won't accept that,' Aaron said. 'We're trying to fix things and it's just getting blown out of proportion. It was a tragic accident, there's no point torturing both dogs when one wasn't doing anything and the other isn't aggressive, he was just doing his job. 'He was just protecting his home.' Asked if one of the dogs attacked any of his children he might feel differently, Aaron said: 'If I thought the dogs were capable of doing that [a much worse attack] to the children then I wouldn't think twice, I wouldn't be keeping them. 'I know 100 percent those dogs wouldn't do anything to my kids.' He added: 'My stepson winds them up no end and they still don't do anything to him. They lick him. 'This is why I'm going so ballistic because I know my dogs are not dangerous.' EXPERT COMMENT: 'The law must tread carefully with dog attacks involving children' Rhianna Tsiattalou, Solicitor at criminal defence & civil litigation practice Stokoe Partnership Solicitors, told The Sun: 'Cases involving dangerous dogs - particularly where children are harmed are profoundly tragic, and the law must tread a careful line between protecting the public and ensuring fairness in the application of justice. "This case falls within the remit of the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991, which makes it a criminal offence to own or be in charge of a dog that is 'dangerously out of control' in any place. This includes private property. "Where such an incident results in serious injury, harsh penalties can be imposed, including jail time. If a child is involved, courts treat the matter with particular gravity. "S3 (1A) and (1B) of the Dangerous Dogs Act provides an exemption from prosecution for householders in instances where their dog has been dangerously out of control with respect to trespassers in their home. "However, this does not apply to dog attacks on trespassers in gardens, driveways or outbuildings. "The Anti-social Behaviour, Crime & Policing Bill, Fact Sheet: Dangerous Dogs (part 7) makes clear that this is intended to differentiate between innocently intentioned trespassers or trespassers in or entering a dwelling that are more likely to have a malign intent. "Often, individuals unaware of legal responsibilities around dog ownership face the full weight of prosecution only after tragedy occurs. "Proactive education and tighter regulation around breeding, containment, and training are therefore essential. "As lawyers, we frequently see cases where non-dangerous breeds become involved in catastrophic events, often due to a momentary lapse in containment or unpredictable behaviour. "In these instances, it is important for cases to be dealt with promptly and without excess delay due to the undesirability of keeping dogs kennelled for long periods of time (as expressed in the Home Office Guidance Circular 29/1998). "Dogs that are seized should be assessed immediately to ascertain whether they truly are a danger to the public.' Antonio's mum Amanda told The Sun: "My son was playing with their son and he went to the door while their son got a drink. "The dog ran out and attacked my son. Aaron and Nikki, the parents, weren't even in the house. They was out so maybe if they was in it could of been prevented. "That dog could have gone for anyone passing by... I'm sick of hearing hearsay." She added: "My lad's a very lucky boy." Amanda called for Aaron to release footage from his home CCTV to show what happened, but Aaron said his cameras were not recording at the time. Asked how Antonio is doing, she said: "He's doing really well - he's not been to school though and it's his birthday today (Friday)." She said doctors have warned the boy's scars will be permanent, but his mum added: "Obviously, they will fade with age and I'm going to be getting him some good oil." 'It was the worst thing ever' Amanda previously said her son had managed to run home, but was left covered in blood following the attack. He was later taken to Royal Manchester Children's Hospital where he underwent surgery. He suffered injuries to his cheeks, underneath his chin and his right thigh. Amanda, 34, said: "It was the worst thing ever, it was horrible. It was so scary. "I couldn't believe my son's face was like that, it was like something out of a horror film." The mum-of-three went on to say: "I heard a scream - you know your child's cry. "Antonio was then at the front door, he had blood all over his face and his cheeks were hanging off his face. "I was screaming, asking what's happened and then I rang the ambulance. "Luckily, the dog didn't remove any skin - they just ripped it. "They've managed to put it all back together, they've done a really good job with him." Despite Antonio's injuries, he seems to be doing well, she'd added. She said: "I thought that bringing him home from the hospital, when we've got a dog, might be an obstacle for him but he's been absolutely fine. "The dog knows that he's been injured so she hasn't left his side. "Antonio is doing okay, you can tell that he's shocked by it. "He's still in a lot of pain but he's doing well." In a Facebook post last week, Amanda said: "My son is 4 years old, he plays with my neighbour's son. "...went in the house for some juice and there dog pounced on my son and attacked him he's lucky to still be comments that are being made on the groups trying to justify the dog are sickening. " If them dogs were brought up right they should never of seen a 4 year old boy as a threat! " A Lancashire Police spokesperson said: "We're appealing for information and footage after a child suffered a dog bite in Oswaldtwistle. "We were called at shortly after 1.30pm on Monday 26th May following reports that a child had been bitten by a dog on Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle. "The child, a four-year-old boy, was taken to hospital with injuries to his leg and face. "Thankfully, those injuries are not life threatening. "Two dogs have been seized by police - a Staffordshire Bull Terrier type and a Pocket Bully Type and the dog owner has been identified and will be spoken to in due course." Which dog breeds are banned in the UK? THERE are specific regulations in place that prohibit certain dog breeds from being owned or bred in the UK. So what are the Which dog breeds are illegal in the UK? People tend to think of large, vicious dogs when they imagine being bitten by one. But the truth is that many types of dogs are known to bite humans, whether provoked or not. However, it's important to remember that just because a breed tends to bite humans, that doesn't mean that they all do. British law determines five breeds of dog are illegal to own, breed, sell or give away. These are an XL Bully, Pit Bull Terrier, Japanese Tosa, Dogo Argentino and Fila Brasileiro. 11 Antonio is now back home and celebrated his birthday on Friday Credit: SWNS
Metro
30-05-2025
- Metro
Boy, 4, left with 'horror film' injuries after Bully dog attack
A mum whose four-year-old son was viciously attacked by a Pocket Bully said his injuries were something like 'out of a horror film'. Amanda Holmes' son, Antonio, was at his friend's house on Monday when the dog attacked him, before a family friend managed to pull it off. Antonio managed to run away from the dog, but he was left covered in blood and had injuries to both of his cheeks, underneath his chin and his right thigh. Mum Amanda recalled: 'It was the worst thing ever, it was horrible. It was so scary. I couldn't believe my son's face was like that, it was like something out of a horror film.' He was then rushed to the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital, where he underwent a three-hour operation to stitch his wounds. 'I heard a scream – you know your child's cry. Antonio was then at the front door, he had blood all over his face, and his cheeks were hanging off his face,' Amanda said. 'I was screaming, asking what had happened, and then I rang the ambulance. Luckily, the dog didn't remove any skin – they just ripped it. 'They've managed to put it all back together, they've done a really good job with him,' she added. Amanda, who owns a Siberian Husky crossed with a Pomeranian dog, says that despite Antonio's injuries, he seems to be doing well. She said: 'I thought that bringing him home from the hospital, when we've got a dog, might be an obstacle for him, but he's been absolutely fine. 'The dog knows that he's been injured, so she hasn't left his side. Antonio is doing okay, you can tell that he's shocked by it. He's still in a lot of pain, but he's doing well.' A Lancashire Police spokesperson confirmed that the Pocket Bully and a Staffordshire Bull Terrier, which were also at the scene, have been seized. They said: 'We're appealing for information and footage after a child suffered a dog bite in Oswaldtwistle. More Trending 'We were called shortly after 1.30 pm on Monday, May 26, following reports that a child had been bitten by a dog on Thwaites Road, Oswaldtwistle. 'The child, a four-year-old boy, was taken to the hospital with injuries to his leg and face. Thankfully, those injuries are not life-threatening.' Police said the dog's owner has been identified. Pocket Bullies are a smaller version of the famous XL Bully, but the smaller breed is often an American Bully crossed with the British Patterdale Terrier. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Peak District visitors could face £1 entry fee to 'access incredible landscape' MORE: Baby in hospital after vicious dog attack in Manchester MORE: EasyJet passenger hurls homophobic abuse at staff before dramatic punch-up
The Courier
25-04-2025
- Health
- The Courier
Should all dogs be muzzled in public in Tayside and Fife?
What do you think when you see a dog wearing a muzzle? That it must be dangerous? That it could attack at the drop of a hat? With cases of dog bite injuries quadrupling in Tayside over the last four years, you can understand why fears might abound. And yet, dogs that wear muzzles do so for a variety of reasons – not necessarily aggression-related. Muzzles can prevent dangerous scavenging – many dogs like to eat stones, bones, excrement, and potentially toxic items like chocolate, grapes and onions. And they can offer protection should they lash out, whether through fear or perhaps when they're in pain during a vet procedure. Many trainers want to break the 'muzzle stigma', and believe more needs done to educate people on the benefits of training with the device. But should muzzles be made mandatory for all dogs in public? Yes, absolutely, says Dundee-based adult nursing student Dominika, who asked us not to reveal her surname. Mum-of-two Dominika, 43, feared her seven-year-old Jack Russell would die, following an attack by an American Bully in a shared garden on Fairbairn Street in January. Her beloved Luna was pinned to the ground, with the Bully's jaw around her neck. Luna suffered severe injuries that required £500 worth of vet treatment. And Dominika claims that was the second time the same dog had attacked her pet. 'It's a very good idea for dogs to be required to wear muzzles in public spaces and shared gardens,' says Dominika. 'I'm originally from Poland, where it's standard for dogs – especially potentially dangerous breeds – to wear muzzles. As a result, dog attacks are much less common. 'If muzzles were made mandatory, the council and police would have fewer incidents to deal with, and people could feel safer in their communities.' Dominika says while Luna has recovered well, physically, she's been left traumatised by the attack, and is afraid to go outside. She also fears a pair of Pocket Bullies that live nearby, and often run loose, pose a threat to Luna and her children. 'The owners claim they're not dangerous. I find that irresponsible and untrue,' she adds. 'These dogs are strong and potentially aggressive, and my children are scared to play in our own garden. 'It's a distressing situation. I now walk my dog in a state of constant anxiety.' Another person who believes muzzles should be mandatory is Dundee customer services worker Michelle. She, too, prefers not to reveal her surname. Michelle, in her 50s, is haunted by the traumatic experience of a pack of dogs attacking her five years ago. 'I was walking to the shops on Ballindean Road when three dogs ran at me,' she recalls. 'They had no recall. The pug climbed up my leg and bit me.' Michelle says her stance on muzzles will never change. 'All dogs should be muzzled in public and all dog owners should have a license to own one. 'I'm tired of people saying 'my dog is friendly'. Dogs are inherent hunters: they've been trained to live with humans. 'They will turn at the drop of a hat if it suits them. Something could p*** them off and they'll attack.' Catriona Anderson had a muzzle custom-made for her Patterjack, Finn, after he almost died guzzling a scavenged piece of bone. 'He was on a short lead and under control but still managed to pick this off the ground,' she explains. 'It required two major surgeries and more than a week in the vet school in Edinburgh. 'He now wears a muzzle to prevent him eating anything while he's out. It's comfortable and he doesn't mind it.' Catriona, who works for NHS Tayside and lives in Strathmartine, Angus, thinks muzzles are brilliant training tools if they're well-fitted with 'pant-room'. She adds: 'You never know when you might need one. I don't think all dogs should be muzzled whilst out but they should definitely be trained for it.' However, quite a few people are 100% anti-muzzle. Dave Richards, 45, a joiner from Perth, is adamant his Labrador, Moby, would never need one. 'It's cruel,' he says. 'Moby's the most gentle beast in the world, and I'd hate to see him be forced to wear such a horrible-looking device. 'How would he be able to catch sticks? How could he have a proper drink? 'It'd make him hot and uncomfortable. He'd be utterly miserable.' Meanwhile, Lorna Riddle of Dundee worries a muzzle could restrict the breathing of flat-faced dogs like pugs. She adds: 'If a dog is trained and kept under control, then no need for a muzzle.' However, dog trainer Hannah Green, who runs Adventure Tails Dundee, believes there are many reasons to muzzle train. 'It often gets a bad rap because people assume only 'aggressive' dogs need muzzles, but that's not the full picture,' says Hannah, 26. 'There are many reasons to muzzle train, including safety in emergencies, preventing scavenging, at vet or grooming visits, legal requirements, or to aid rehabilitation for behavioural issues.' What does Hannah say to those who think it's 'cruel' to muzzle a dog, if it's said to be '100%' friendly and non-aggressive? 'That's a common reaction and totally understandable,' she muses. 'When someone says it's 'cruel' to muzzle a dog that's friendly and non-aggressive, I'd say it's actually the opposite. 'Muzzle training is one of the kindest things you can do for your dog. It isn't about assuming the worst of your dog – it's about preparing them for if they ever need it. 'Whether it be a one-off high stress situation or for everyday life, if your dog is already comfortable wearing a muzzle they won't have the added stress if they ever need to wear one. 'And just because a dog is friendly doesn't mean it'll never feel scared. Imagine if a dog is hit by a car and needs help. 'Are you going to wait until they bite someone trying to save them, or just calmly slip on a muzzle they've already learned to love? 'That's not cruel – that's smart and compassionate.' Hannah – who's part of Honest Hounds, an online community that promotes 'muzzle positivity' – says it's sad many people assume muzzled dogs equal bad dogs. 'The perception of muzzles being 'cruel' is part of the reason we're seeing so many dog bites. 'If muzzling was seen as part of daily life, I don't think we would see as much hesitancy from owners. Some are resistant – for fear of being judged.' Hannah recommends a basket-style muzzle which allows for panting and drinking. And of course, she's trained her four-year-old cockapoo Ollie to happily wear one. Dundee-based behaviourist and dog trainer Jessica Probst believes muzzles are valuable tools when used 'responsibly and ethically'. 'They keep everyone safe and aren't just for dogs that have a bite history – they can help those that scavenge,' she says. 'I believe every dog should be muzzle trained because we never know when we might need to take a dog in pain to the vet. 'They also allow for controlled exposure in rehab cases, where there may be triggering stimuli – and this minimises risk of a bite.' Jess says many people choose not to muzzle reactive dogs because they think a lead or avoidance is a better option. However, she says that's only useful where 'luck' is on your side. 'In real life, kids trip over dogs, toddlers wander up and grab fur, and loose young dogs come up to say 'hi' and their novice owners think this is 'socialising'. 'The point is, there are factors in life we can't account for. But we can prepare in the form of short term safety measures.' On April 11, we reported that the number of people attending Ninewells Hospital's A&E department for dog bite injuries had quadrupled in four years. Between 2021 and 2024, injuries rocketed from 97 to almost 400. Our story followed a spate of reported dog attacks on humans and other pets. In one of the most serious, a teenager was locked up after his Doberman left a toddler in Dundee needing 13 stitches.
